Betty Fishte: From elementary school to the head of the female, let Blancpain continue to write 300 years of legend

Long history, there are always people who have left a strong pen in the depth of life. Betty Fiechter is one of them.

Betty Ficht/Source: Blancpain official website

This is not a well -known name that most people can, but if you have a little understanding of the watch industry, you will definitely hear the pearl of the watched watch industry, the Blancpain. Subsequent creators. In 1932, the seventh-generation head of the Blancpain family died of Frédéric-Emile Blancpain, and Fergit, then Blancpain executive, accepted the last wishes and Blancpain's wish of little Fordrik The family's commission officially took over the Belobe the following year, becoming the successor of his first family, and the first female in charge of the Swiss watch industry.

Since then, Fechit has led Blancpain to face the Great Depression of the economy. After the war years, the quartz crisis that has destroyed the Swiss watch industry has been traveled to the world, and it has moved forward with extraordinary wisdom and courage. From the advantages of women's perspective, she avoided male watches that had absolute advantages in the market at that time, and took a different way to focus on female watches. Under her all the way, Blancpain came to the peak of high -end women's mechanical watches. Women's top women's watches ".

Looking back more than a hundred years ago, at the age of 16, Fechito joined Belop as an apprentice; at the age of 75, she died as the Blancpain's head. In the past 60 years of career, all spent in Blancpain. The changes in the world, if Feihit knows it, it should be enough to be pleased. Today, Blancpain has become one of the four high -end brands of the world's largest watch group Swolki Group, and the legend she created in the watch industry, Still being continued.

The legend of the two hundred years

I do not know if Fisht thanked Fest in the past when the old memories of the past. She was born in a small town named Velair in Switzerland, but this town is so extravagant. It is located under the Jurassic Mountains of the high -end watchmaking process. Since 1725, the watch industry has entered, and it has gradually gathered in craftsmen.

Ten years later, the World Watch Industry Bank reached a new chapter. This year, there was a young man with a wealthy vision and excellent business thinking in the town of Viri, registered a watch brand with his surname. This is also the first brand of the watch industry. Since then, the world watch industry has officially entered the era of the brand from the era of craftsmen.

In 1735, Ja Khan-Jacques Blancius registered the brand/source in the name of watchmakers: Blancpre official website

The young man is Jehan-Jacques Blancpain, the founder of Blancpain.

Jia Khan also has four positions of watches, farmers, teachers, and mayor. It seems incredible today, but he is doing well. His son Isaac is deeply influenced by his father. He also loves watchmaking, and part -time school teachers.

For more than a hundred years, Blancpain has passed on the intergeneration of many generations, and each generation has a pioneering work. Some people have created a precedent for overseas sales, and some people introduce the "series" concept of the product into the brand. By 1830, after the fifth generation of the family, Fedrick Emir Blancpain took over, led the Blancpain to the leaping development period. When he introduced it to today, he was still used by the Swiss mechanical watch, and began to produce women's mechanical watches for women. This apparently laid a deep technical foundation for Fochit's main attack lady's mechanical watch.

Thanks to the outstanding contribution of Old Fordrik, when the sixth generation heir of the Blancpre family needed to stand independently in 1857, Blancpain was already the largest local watchmaking company. But in this generation, the large earthquake in the clock industry lasted for 40 years. When the bottom of the valley, the price even dropped to 20%. The 20 watch companies in the Town of Viri were withered. In the end, there were only 3, and the Blancpain was one of them. The reason why Blancpain can overcome this long crisis is that the key is to launch a strategic transformation of high -end watches. From then on, the most impactful high -level watchmaking has become the brand belief of Blancpain.

At this point, "women" and "high-end" have been appeared in the keywords of Blancpain. The seventh-generation little Fordrik Emir Blancpain, as well as his powerful assistant, Ficht, has further developed it.

From apprentice to boss

To be fair, Fochit's standing out of the way, due to his efforts, but also inseparable from the wisdom of the little Fordrik.

Like the ancestors in the family, Little Fordrik is destined to be born for watchmaking, and is an excellent successor of the Blancpain brand. During his tenure, Blancpain not only walked out of Switzerland, and went out of Europe to expand the market to the United States. And more of his ancestors, he is more powerful, about discovery Ficht's potential talent, and to cultivate and boldly decentralize power.

At that time, the Town of Virihe had long been connected to the national railway network, and the population increased for decades. The watchmaking industry rejected the heating up after the crisis. In 1896, Fechit was born in this strong industry atmosphere. Her father and aunt operated a small complex functional watch movement company, allowing her to make a close -up of the clock from a young age. After growing up, Fechites entered a local dual -degree -based commercial trade school study, which included watchmaking in the course.

In 1912, Felhit, who was cardamom, entered the Blancpain as expected and became a watchmake -making apprentice. Smart and diligent as her, she passed the apprenticeship period three years later and was officially hired as a assistant assistant assistant. Interestingly, during this period, the small company of Feihit's family was also acquired by Blancpain. The little Frederick did not despise her because of the identity of Fichtte's women. On the contrary, he quickly discovered the management potential of the young girl and almost cultivated her. Ten years later, Fechit has fully took over the Blancpain Factory and is responsible for supervising all the production matters of Blancpain. Since then, Fedrick, who has been assured of Ficht, has moved to Lausanne from Virisse and devoted himself to a technological innovation that made him more obsessed. At that time, the pocket watch had an automatic boarding system, but the watch was small, and it was a big challenge to realize the automatic chain. However, in 1926, Little Fredrick still joined hands with British watchmakers John Halwood to overcome this problem and design the world's first automatic watches. Four years later, he copied the same success to a lady's watch. Two creation of the first place, let Blancpain shine in the watch industry. In particular, the launch of automatic ladies watches has won praise for Blancpain in high -end female customer groups.

The world's first women's automatic watch, Rolls/Source: Blancpre official website

As Little Frederk was busy with research and development, Fechita did not support it. Although the entire Town of Virle was not too big, she still moved her luggage directly into the Blancpain's office building. In this young management management It seems that feedback every minute is of great significance. Ferchit and Little Frederk usually communicate with letter emails, and the wax tube of the decentralization of the non -portable machine is also one of their work communication methods. With the joint efforts of the two, Blancpains went along the high -end watch industry.

But although the Blancpain was so bright at this time, the only daughter of the little Fredrick was unintentional. In 1932, Frederick died, leaving Fisht's last wish to take over the company. Fisht repeatedly thought, and finally took the heavy responsibility of the following year. She and André Leal, who is the most important partner and colleague responsible for foreign market sales, acquired Blancpain to achieve cooperation with Blancpain.

This is a hot summer, Figit's work seems as usual, but its essence has changed greatly. At that time, the Blancpre brand had been founded for more than 200 years to inherit the seventh generation in the family, and Felhit, 37, became the head of the first family. Not only that, the identity of the woman's head is also the first case of the watch industry. You know, in Switzerland at that time, women's status was far from being rivals with men. In fact, until Fechit died, Switzerland had not yet established a female general selection system.

However, for Fisht himself, the biggest change is from the turning point of professional managers to entrepreneurs. The former may specialize in one aspect, and the latter needs to plan the future of the entire brand.

Open the "Ferchit era"

Every new beginning often contains heavy challenges. In fact, at the beginning of taking over, Ficht almost lost the deep brand asset of Blancpain.

Because at that time, there were no members of the Belobe family in the Blancpre company, and according to the laws of Switzerland at the time, the company was not allowed to use the family surname trademark. In desperation, Fichte and Andre once reorganized Villeret of Villeret, and renamed Blancpain from Blancpain to Rayville. Fortunately, relevant regulations were quickly abolished, and this brand crisis was naturally resolved.

But next, Figita was hit again. In 1939, after taking the Bloper for the co -receiving Bloper, Andre was killed during a business trip, leaving Fechit to fight alone.

At that time, the United States and Europe have successively stepped out of the Great Depression with the greatest lethality and the most influential range, and the economy has begun to recover. However, after the destruction of the Great Depression, the American watchmaking industry has been unremieved, and the only brands of the surviving brands are not bleak. Fisht saw the opportunity from it with a keen insight and quickly made two important decisions: first, the main attack was the lady's watch and the lady's watch movement; the other was to open the US market.

In fact, in the field of watches, men's watches are late than women's watches. The former only appeared after the First World War. Before that, the pocket watch was the mainstream. The ladies' watches led the show for a long time, but in the early days, their functions were basically equivalent to jewelry.

The difference between Feihit is that what she wants to present to women is a real mechanical watch. It is not just a jewelry that can see time, nor simplifying the men's watch movement. Developed self -producing movements for women. Because she believes that women also know how to appreciate the beauty of watches, they can also penetrate the professional performance and mysterious charm of the watch.

A movement produced by Baobao/Source: Wikipedia Encyclopedia

Compared to the production of male watches and movements, the production of small -sized timepieces and movements for women, both in technology and technology, are greater challenges. But Ficht has its own confidence. You know, Blancpain has begun to produce women's mechanical watches since the fifth generation. Ferchit's boss's boss Fredrick has more polished production technology for small timepieces. Special himself is also very familiar with these technologies. Therefore, Blancpain not only has the ability to focus on women's watches, but also decide to open the movement to other brands.

The direction of the product is determined, and the market is equally important. Although Blancpain has been cultivating in Europe for many years, the market structure here is relatively stable and it is difficult to achieve a big breakthrough. The United States is different. At that time, the American watchmaking industry was dying, and it could not keep up with the pace of economic recovery. Naturally, it won a rare opportunity for Blancpain to win this incremental market. Facts have also proved that this has become a common choice of a large number of European watchmaking companies. After the Greater Depression, the American watch market was quickly captured by the former. Figt has never been a rigid operator. During the opening of the US market, in order to reduce tariff costs, she also innovated business models and launched semi -finished watch sales. That is, the watch is divided into two parts: the internal case and the outer case. Among them, the internal case contains the movement, dial, and pointer. Consumers can match the external case by themselves after purchasing. This innovation has won a wider market space.

By 1950, Fechites had led Blancpain alone for 11 years. She did not live up to the trustees of the little Fredrick. Blancpain not only survived, but also got a brand new with the watches of the lady's watch. The steps are getting brighter.

Cultivate successor

It was also this year, and 54 -year -old Fiste ushered in another important choice in his life. She was diagnosed with cancer, and because she was never married, she did not have a heir under her knees. Obviously, she had to plan early.

Many people think that Fisht has no choice but to sell the company. But she didn't do this. In the same year, she invited her nephew Jean-Jacques Fiechter to join Blancpain.

Jean-Jacques Ficht/Source: Blancpain official website

It seems that this is not a good idea, because although Jay Jacques has a deep relationship with his aunt, he has no professional background in terms of watchmaking or business. In fact, he has almost zero his understanding of watchmaking. However, Fishte has both rules and patience in cultivating newcomers. She arranged for-Jaca to exercise in various aspects of production, finance, sales, and distribution, and carefully dialed the guidance. With the gradual growth of Jean-Jacques, the cooperation between the aunts and nephews became more and more tacit, and Felhit, who took the second half of his life, was even more tiger.

Just as Fiecht brought his women's perspective into Belobe, and let Jacques integrate his expertise and career. He is a fanatic diving enthusiast, so after entering Blancpain, he quickly noticed the vacancy of the market for mechanical diving watches. In 1952, only 2 years after entering Blancpain, let-Jacques promoted Blancpain to develop the research and development of mechanical diving watches. The following year, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms was successfully listed. , Germany, the United States and other mainstream navy professional equipment. As the original ancestor product recognized as a diving watch, the fifty -噚 watch clearly establishes industry standards for the subdivisions of the diving watch.

Ladybird watch/Source: Blancpain official website

In the field of Blancpain's most advantageous women's mechanical watch, the-Jacques also brought great help to Ficht. In 1956, Ms. Ladybird, the Blancpain, appeared. The internal movement created the record of the smallest circular movement in the world at that time, with a diameter of only 11.85 mm, which was incredible. And in such a small world, the lady and birds also creatively set up an additional swing wheel in the gear group of the transmission mechanism, which makes the stability of its performance extraordinary. It can be said that in terms of technology or design, the birth of ladies and birds has a new milestone for female watches.

机 The first quartz watch movement/source: Wikipedia Encyclopedia

However, the golden age of the Blancpain co-created by Fishit and Jeanjak did not last long, and the larger industry crisis broke out. In 1967, the first quartz watch in the world was produced in Switzerland; two years later, Japan Seiko launched a mass -produced quartz watch. The quartz watch uses simple, low price and not easy to damage. Therefore, a quartz watch trend quickly swept the watch industry, which is called "quartz storm" in history. In this storm, Swiss watch companies that specialize in machinery watches have been shaken the most, and they have been destroyed. According to statistics, in the 1970s, Switzerland's watch market share dropped from 43%to 15%, and a total of more than 1,000 companies went bankrupt or closed down. Many people in the industry believe that Swiss watches will disappear.

In order to get out of the predicament, many watches companies in Switzerland have also begun to produce quartz watches to compete in low -end markets and Japanese watches. At the same time, they have shaped high -end images with long -term brand history and high -end technologies to effectively distinguish with Japanese quartz watch brands. But Fihit insisted on refusing to produce quartz watches. In fact, Blancpain may always be a brand that always insists on making only mechanical watches. But Figit chose to report the group to warm up. Under her strength, Blancpain and Omega, Nouvelle Lemania and TissoT merged, jointly established Swiss Watch Industry Co., Ltd. SSIH. In this newly established consortium, multiple brands gather forces to integrate resources, and at the same time, various watch companies remain relatively independent. Blancpain can play a more effective advantage, concentrate on research and development of high -end mechanical watchmaking, and act as the role of the movement manufacturer for the brand alliance, and finally survives the quartz crisis.

Many years of business experience has undoubtedly made Fhiz a strong woman of that era. In her work, she is rigorous and responsible, dare to be strong and persistent. But employees do not regard them as those who are standing on the opposite side. On the contrary, they always praise the female boss. In private, Fechita treats employees gentle and humble, forming unique leadership with the delicate women. She knows every employee of her men, and she carefully selects gifts for them every year, and the gift process is always full of rituals. She is also the first person to invent a delegation. She often organizes special gatherings and celebrations for employees. This was rare at that time. To this day, when the Blancpain is promoted, Fisht often quotes Fechit's sentence: "A decent dress of an elegant lady needs to be finned with an elegant wrist jewelry." In fact, Figthtte I have a high taste and aesthetic ability. It is said that she is obsessed with art, especially enthusiastic about collecting Obusong's decorative wall blankets, Picasso and Renoir, as well as ancient icons. The clothing and jewelry they have selected often lead the local trend.

In 1971, 21 years after the cancer was detected, Felich, 75, resigned with the world in an autumn. Before dying, she agreed to use the large land in the ancestral land in the town of Viri to use it as a public open -air square land.

In 2021, on the 50th anniversary of the death of Ficht, the Blancpain Women's Watch series officially renamed Blancpain Ladybird Women's Watch series. In order to pay tribute to Fochit, Blancpain launched a new diamond ball colorful watch -although not the founder, in the history of Blancpain, Figit is always the one who cannot be bypassed. It is also one of the chapters that are quite Chinese.

[Attachment: Betty Fichter's Life]

In 1896, Born in the small town of the Jurassic Mountains in Switzerland, the family operates a small complex functional watch movement company;

In 1912, after graduating from a local business and trade school, he joined Blancpain. After 3 years of apprenticeship, he officially became the assistant to the Blancpain CEO Frederick Emir Blanc, and gradually grew into the core management;

In 1933, he was entrusted by the Bloper family and took over the Belobe Company with his colleague Andre Laial, and the professional manager turned to a female entrepreneur to create a precedent for the Swiss watchmaking industry;

In 1939, because of Andre Laial's death, he began to control the Blancpain Company, and then created a greater glory;

In 1950, he began to train his nephew Jean-Jacques Ficht as his successor;

He died of illness in 1971.

Reference materials:

1. "Blancpain: Father in Time", watch home;

2. "War, Great Depression and Female Entrepreneurs", Wu Xiaobo Channel;

3. "Blancpain Legendary Women: Ms. Betty", Global Online;

4. "Maybe tomorrow will not be better than today, but I am still hopeful", surging news · Surging, surging.

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